3 March 2011 Why Congress should be veterans

Troops need equipment? Let 'em drink beer.

By Dana Milbank

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, March 3, 2011

According to the annual Gallup poll of confidence in American institutions, the military ranks first, earning high marks from 76 percent of Americans, and Congress ranks dead last, at 11 percent.

To understand that 7 to 1 disparity, look no further than Wednesday's hearing of the House defense appropriations subcommittee. Defense Secretary Bob Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen proved themselves again to be serious men, speaking frankly about the crises we face. The lawmakers did not.

In his opening statement, Gates fervently appealed for funds requested by Gen. David Petraeus for equipment to protect troops in Afghanistan. The money has been held up because it would come from a project benefiting a major contributor to the committee chairman, Bill Young (R-Fla.).

"Mr. Chairman, our troops need this force-protection equipment, and they need it now," Gates pleaded. "Every day that goes by without this equipment, the lives of our troops are at greater risk." He urged action "today" on the funds, admonishing: "We should not put American lives at risk to protect specific programs or contractors."

The lawmakers, however, had other priorities. The first question to Gates and Mullen proffered by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), a senior panel member, related to his contention that 18-year-old soldiers "cannot have a beer at the NCO club or whatever." To remedy this injustice, Kingston said, he introduced legislation so that underage soldiers can drink beer on their posts. He asked the Pentagon to report to him on "how that could be a good idea."

Cassi Creek: I’m not in favor of continuing the ongoing war in Afghanistan, for providing any additional training or equipment to Iraqis, or for stumbling into the developing civil and revolutionary wars springing up in North Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula. We can’t afford the expense of maintaining occupation forces, police forces, training forces, and combat forces on the ground in these wars. Our aviation resources, land-based and carrier-based are aging and we have no real carrier-based replacement in the pipeline. The concept of a “joint-strike-fighter” sounds good to budget committees but invariably results in an airframe that does several things poorly and nothing well. Our navy is being downsized while simultaneously being required to handle steadily increasing tasks in more of the world.

Our troops are spread too thinly to actually defend our shores. We hire mercenaries, lie to ourselves by calling them “private contractors,” and further gut the treasury while enriching the many war profiteers such as Halliburton and Xe (formerly Blackwater). Then we send our troops outside the wire under-equipped.

For Gates and Mullen to carry such an urgent request to a Congressional committee indicates the seriousness of the need. For them to be met with such petty demands displays all too well the uniformed and unconcerned status of our elected leaders.

Beer in NCO clubs in a combat zone is not an essential. In many instances, it is harmful regardless of the age of the soldier drinking it. Drunken fighters with access to automatic weapons are not a good idea, Congressman Kingston. If you had any common sense, you would know that without being told.

Men and women who have served in uniform are not necessarily any smarter, any “better,” any more politically aware than the average citizen who has not served. That is not to say that all veterans will keep the welfare and other needs of our troops in mind when tasked with such decisions. Our local Congressman invariably “honors the troops” by voting the straight GOP/teavangelist line, in essence using our troops to wage a holy and commercial war. There are too many like him to give a pass to all veterans. But many of those who have served will hopefully be less likely to vote to send our troops to war unprepared, under-equipped; or to send them out to die for corporate financial contributors. For me, that is sufficient reason to consider veterans carefully and perhaps preferentially when voting to elect national leaders.

As for Rep Kingston GA(R), I’m willing to let him defend the entire state of Georgia with all the beer he can drink and/or carry. I prefer my fellow soldiers sober whatever their ages.